Chapter 21

What happened next was something that Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu could almost predict with their toes.

No wonder Xu Zixiong had recently taken control of the Xus' Miaoshan Hall. It turned out he had used his method to forcefully seize and plunder, transforming the entire southern city into his own domain in just half a month. Such achievements would be worthy of praise and commendation in any noble family.

It was hateful that their grandfather did not let them act freely. If they could achieve something, they wouldn't have to endure Shangguan Ruomeng's attitude every day.

"Alas... time is not on my side..." Shangguan Ruowen sighed deeply, picked up his wine cup, and drank it in one gulp.

Shangguan Ruowu was also full of resentment. The two brothers were born only half an hour apart, and although they only looked about 60% alike, they both had proud blood running through their veins. Being suppressed by a woman was never a pleasant experience.

Even if Shangguan Ruomeng was their eldest sister, she was still a woman.

For the Shangguan family to need a woman to support it, didn't that mean the Shangguan men were incompetent?

Chen Hongjie gave Xu Zixiong a look, and Xu Zixiong smiled slightly. "Drowning sorrows in alcohol is not a solution. To solve problems, we need to address the root cause."

"Root cause?" Shangguan Ruowen couldn't miss Xu Zixiong's meaning and smiled bitterly. "We had a chance last time, Brother Zixiong. If you hadn't been so lenient, the Shangguan family would already be in our hands."

Shangguan Ruowu nodded angrily. "That's right. As long as Feng Jueyu is alive, Elder Sister will never remarry. Grandfather says we are incompetent, but he never gives us a chance. To resolve this, we need to deal with Feng Jueyu."

"How can such a wimp have such a strong life force?"

Xu Zixiong tapped the table lightly. He was also puzzled. That day, he hadn't been lenient. With his near-perfect True Martial Realm cultivation, even if he didn't want it to be obvious that a martial artist was involved, those two strikes should have been enough to send Feng Jueyu to the underworld.

At that time, the Shangguan family would certainly be in chaos. It wouldn't take long for Shangguan Lingyun and Shangguan Tenglong to worry about their daughter's future, and then they could use Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu to force Shangguan Ruomeng to step down. Once the Shangguan family's power was in the hands of these two incompetents, swallowing the Shangguan family wouldn't be difficult.

No one knew that Xu Zixiong's goal was the Shangguan family's entire business in Tiannan. His heart was as venomous and meticulous as it could be, far beyond what someone of his age should possess.

The poor great assassin didn't know that he had become a pawn in Xu Zixiong's plan to吞并 the Shangguan family, using his death to influence the appointment of the Shangguan family's leaders.

However, Xu Zixiong was no ordinary person. Last time, he did act himself, but it was because he had drunk too much, leading to a moment of loss of control. The two Shangguan brothers were afraid to act, so he impulsively hit Feng Jueyu with two bricks.

After sobering up, Xu Zixiong regretted it deeply. Others might not know, but he and Chen Hongjie understood Feng Jueyu's importance to Shangguan Lingyun. Fortunately, Feng Jueyu didn't die; otherwise, with Shangguan Lingyun's influence in Tiannan, there would have been a huge uproar.

So, even if the facts were clear, Xu Zixiong wouldn't admit it.

Xu Zixiong pretended to be surprised and said unhappily, "Brother Ruowen, what are you talking about? What did I do last time? What do you mean by being lenient? I don't understand."

Shangguan Ruowen was taken aback, feeling very dissatisfied. Pretend, why pretend? Last time, wasn't it you who incited us to act against Feng Jueyu? We disagreed, and you acted yourself. Now you deny it? Afraid? You're not a good person.

Chen Hongjie, who was in cahoots with Xu Zixiong, quickly chimed in, "Yes, last time, Brother Zixiong and I left first. Nothing happened. Brother Ruowen, this matter can be big or small. Don't say it lightly."

Chen Hongjie was hinting to Shangguan Ruowen that he was also an insider in what they had done. If something went wrong, no one could escape.

Shangguan Ruowen, though impulsive, wasn't stupid. After hearing this, his heart sank to the bottom. "That's right. If Grandfather finds out, not only will the Shangguan family's power be at stake, but I might be skinned alive. We can't let this out."

Thinking about it, Shangguan Ruowen quickly responded, "Ha ha, I drank too much that day and saw things wrong. Brother Zixiong, please don't take it to heart. Oh, right, I haven't congratulated you yet. The position of the Hui Chun Hall manager is coveted by many. Brother Zixiong, you are young and capable, far surpassing my brothers. In the future, I hope you will guide and advise us."

Xu Zixiong laughed heartily and raised his cup. "Brother, you are too kind. How can a merchant be successful without being cunning? Just remember, put interests first, and success will not be difficult."

"Put interests first?" The Shangguan brothers looked enlightened. "Brother Zixiong, you have a great insight. I admire you. So, before long, the southern city will be dominated by the Miaoshan Hall?"

Chen Hongjie flattered, "Of course. Brother, prepare a generous gift."

Xu Zixiong shook his head and sighed, but he was actually very pleased. He pretended to be modest, "We can't say that yet. We haven't taken over the Jishi Hall. How can we be the dominant one?"

"It will be soon," Chen Hongjie said.

"Ha ha." Xu Zixiong stopped being modest and said, "Then I will be grateful for Brother Chen's kind words. When the time comes, I will surely treat everyone to a grand banquet."

"Of course, of course..."

The four of them raised their cups, about to drink, when a servant walked in and approached Xu Zixiong, whispering in his ear.

After the servant finished speaking, Xu Zixiong's face turned ashen, and his brows furrowed. "What? Ghosts?"

The servant didn't speak but nodded silently.

Chen Hongjie, Shangguan Ruowen, and Shangguan Ruowu also heard Xu Zixiong's words and were stunned. "Brother Zixiong, what happened?"

Xu Zixiong gritted his teeth. "There are ghosts at the Jishi Hall."

Upon hearing this, the three of them shivered.

In those days, feudal superstitions and beliefs in ghosts and spirits were deeply ingrained, especially among merchants who were very particular about feng shui. If a place was haunted, it was a great taboo, and even if the location was excellent, it would not be used for business.

Xu Zixiong had gone to great lengths to eliminate the Jishi Hall from the southern city, partly to monopolize the herbal medicine market and partly because the area around the Jishi Hall was surrounded by countless poor people, making it an excellent location.

But hearing about the ghosts, Xu Zixiong was troubled.

Chen Hongjie thought for a moment and said, "For so many years, I've never heard of ghosts at the Jishi Hall. This is strange. Brother Zixiong, why don't we go and check it out?"

Xu Zixiong agreed. He had already sent a large sum of money to the government, and the matter had been handled smoothly. If the Jishi Hall was haunted, he couldn't take it, and the money would be wasted.

"Let's go and see."

"We'll go too." Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu stood up, and Xu Zixiong, without further ado, led the way out of the Baiwei Tower.

...

Riding in the luxurious carriage of the Xu family, they arrived at the southern city. Before reaching the Jishi Hall, Xu Zixiong and the others saw a crowd gathered at the street corner, numbering over a hundred. Most of them were standing far away, nervously watching the Jishi Hall.

The four of them got out of the carriage and walked a few steps. They felt the air around them turn cold. It was late March, and the cold had not completely dissipated, especially at night. But it shouldn't be this cold.

The four of them were dressed appropriately for the weather, but tonight was particularly cold, with a chill that seemed to penetrate their bones.

"How can it be so cold?" Shangguan Ruowu tightened his cloak and exhaled, seeing his breath turn to mist.

Xu Zixiong's face darkened. The cold wasn't the main issue. As a True Martial Realm expert, he could sense the special aura in the air—a strong sense of resentment and death, making his scalp tingle and his hair stand on end.

They quickened their pace and reached the edge of the crowd. Xu Zixiong, always cautious, did not go deeper but listened to the whispers of the nearby residents.

"What's going on? Why is there a ghost at the Lao Li family's place?"

"You don't know? I'll tell you. It's said that Lao Li recently caused a death, and the ghost of the deceased is haunting the Lao Li family."

The crowd murmured. "Wasn't that matter resolved? Besides, if someone has to pay with their life, it should be the deceased, not the Lao Li family's ghost."

"What do you know?" A plump woman with a sharp tongue said, "Do you know Lao Li's medical skills? He wouldn't cause a death. It's said that the deceased was already terminally ill and came to the Lao Li family to cheat them for money."

"Cheating for money?" Xu Zixiong's face changed abruptly, and he cursed the gossipy woman in his heart.

To take over the Jishi Hall, Xu Zixiong had indeed used some underhanded methods, and the woman's words were mostly true. Who had leaked the information?

Looking into the crowd, Xu Zixiong's face turned even darker. What he feared had come true. The bailiffs from the Tiannan government were all there, more than a dozen of them, gathered at the Jishi Hall's entrance, acting as if they had really seen a ghost.

There were also a few familiar officials and nobles who had come to see the ghost, as the richer they were, the more bored they became, and everyone wanted to see what a ghost looked like.

Looking further in, Li Yide and his granddaughter Li Tong'er were kneeling on the ground, crying and wailing, clearly terrified. Lao Li, being old, had fainted several times, muttering apologies to his ancestors, and each time he tried to rush in, his granddaughter pulled him back.

Li Tong'er was a mess of tears, saying she couldn't protect the family's old house and was sorry to the ancestors, just like Lao Li.

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